A
very light jet,
entry-level jet or
personal jet, previously known as a
microjet, is a category of small
jet aircraftA jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
approved for single-pilot operation, seating 4-8 people, with a
maximum take-off weightThe Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous term for rockets is Gross Lift-Off Mass, or GLOW...
of under 10000 pounds (4,535.9 kg). They are lighter than what is commonly termed
business jetBusiness jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
s and are designed to be flown by single pilot owners.
Examples include the
Eclipse 500The Eclipse 500 is a small six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation.Eclipse 500 became the first of a new class of Very Light Jet when it was delivered in late 2006...
, Cessna Mustang and
Embraer Phenom 100|-See also:-External links:*.*.********...
.
In December 2010 AvWeb's Paul Bertorelli explained that the term very light jet is not used in the aviation industry anymore, "personal jet is the description du jour. You don't hear the term VLJ—very light jet--much anymore and some people in the industry tell me they think it's because that term was too tightly coupled to Eclipse, a failure that the remaining players want to, understandably, distance themselves from."
Target market
VLJs are intended to have lower operating costs than conventional jets, and to be able to operate from runways as short as 3000 feet (914 m) either for personal use or in point-to-point
air taxiAn air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
service. In the US the
Small Aircraft Transportation SystemThe Small Aircraft Transportation System is a joint research project between the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration , along with local airports and aviation authorities...
is aimed at providing air service to areas ignored by
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s.
Florida-based air taxi provider
DayJetDayJet was an American commercial aviation operation that provided on-demand jet travel using Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets. The company began operations in Florida in October 2007 and suspended operations on September 19, 2008....
, which on October 3, 2007 began its Eclipse 500 service, planned to operate more than 1,000 of the VLJs within five years, and had stated in mid-2007 that it planned to operate 300 Eclipse 500s serving 40 regional airports in the
Southeastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
by the end of 2008. DayJet ceased operations on September 19, 2008.
Production
Although many models are under development or awaiting certification, just three have so far made deliveries to customers:
- Cessna Aircraft Company delivered the first ever production VLJ, the six-seater Citation Mustang
|-Operators:The aircraft is operated by private individuals, companies and executive charter operators. A number of companies also use the aircraft as part of fractional ownership programs.-See also:-External links:* * * * .* * * *...
on November 23, 2006. They have now delivered at least 345 to cusomers.
- Eclipse Aviation
Eclipse Aviation Corporation was the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet and also at one time proposed developing the Eclipse 400 single-engined jet....
, delivered 260 of their Eclipse 500The Eclipse 500 is a small six-seat business jet aircraft manufactured by Eclipse Aviation.Eclipse 500 became the first of a new class of Very Light Jet when it was delivered in late 2006...
aircraft - the first on January 4, 2007. The company suffered from a series of problems and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 26, 2008, and then Chapter 7 liquidation in February 2009.
- The Embraer Phenom 100
|-See also:-External links:*.*.********...
has made 199 deliveries.
As of 2010, business jet sales were suffering due to the on-going
late 2000s recessionThe late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported in November 2010 that third quarter business jet sales were down 20.3% over the same period in 2009, with light jets suffering the most.
Interior amenities
When these smaller jets were first mooted, there was much interest in the fact that they would not have a lavatory on board, with articles discussing the matter in the New York Times and items on
NBC Nightly NewsNBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. Some manufacturers argued that for short flights of 300 to 500 miles and 40 to 80 minutes' duration the lavatory issue was not a problem and air taxi service companies said that it was not a concern for most of their passengers. Despite this, the Eclipse 500 had the option of an electric flush, remove-to-service lavatory with a privacy curtain - at the expense of one passenger seat, The Adam A700 has a 7-seat configuration with rear lavatory with a privacy curtain. The Cessna Mustang also has an emergency toilet, but it is located between the cockpit and cabin.
The
EmbraerEmbraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
Phenom 100 offers a fully enclosed lavatory with a solid door.
External links
- EBACE 2006 Show preview (series of articles), Flight International, April/May 2006
- Time for an Eclipse?, Aviation Week, April 2006
- VLJs fly in the face of critics, Aviation International News, March 2006
- Flight Interview: Vision of Eclipse Aviation's Vern silences the sceptics, Flight International, March 2006
- Dawn of the VLJ, Flight International, May 2005
- NBAA
- JetBird targets the mass affluent - EBAN - September, 2006
- JetBird featured on Forbes.com, May, 2007
- Transportation Systems Analysis Model - TSAM is a nationwide transportation planning model to forecast air taxi demand in the United States.
- VLJ Magazine
- VLJ News